My Divine Notes

Old Testament Scriptures proclaim the birth of Jesus. His birth as a human is   central to the redemption of humankind. Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until He whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, of the clans of Judah, are no poor relation— From your people will come a Ruler who will be the shepherd of My people, Israel, Whose origins date back to the distant past, to the ancient days. Psalm 72:11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him. Isaiah 9:7 ...

Psalm 103:3 He fills my life with good things! My youth is renewed. TLB Just like old coffee that turns musty and leaves unsightly rings in a coffee cup, so can our relationship with the Lord become old and crusty if we don’t take care of the relationship. I've been thinking about my stages of faith.  When you first receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, well, the high can make you fly!  There’s no drug that can transform your life like the power of Jesus Christ! I had insatiable thirst for knowledge. I got out of my comfort zone in big ways and started doing all kinds of “ministries” until the LORD said, “ Stop .” I heard that stop in a big way. I had to stop doing the things I thought He wanted me to do and start doing things for and with Him. There’s a huge difference in serving God versus serving for God. In my enthusiasm, I got tangled up in things that were good and great for the Kingdom – but they weren’t in God’s plan for me. I stopped “cleaning” ...

Matthew 15:7 You are hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he said about you: 8 'These people show honor to me with words, but their hearts are far from me. One thing that was clear with Jesus during his earthly ministry, he didn’t have a problem challenging the religious people of his day. He saw through their traditions and empty words. In the same way, he sees through our words, hearts and traditions. Going to the front of the pew at a church, revival meeting (or in the comfort of your own home while watching TV) and declaring that you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior doesn’t guarantee that you are saved any more than a person who claims that they are saved just because they are good and live life doing good deeds.  Many people head to church or watch TV on Sunday mornings looking for something they just can’t find. More and more people are voicing dissatisfaction with “churchianity” as they struggle to find meaning in their lives. I know because I’ve lived on both sides...

October 16, 2011 1 John 4:1 (GW) Dear friends, don't believe all people who say that they have the Spirit. Instead, test them. See whether the spirit they have is from God, because there are many false prophets in the world. Reading has always been my favorite thing, hobby and passion. Since I’ve come into a living and vital relationship with the Lord, an entire world of new learning has opened up to me. This includes an understanding of God’s Word – the Bible. As I explore the Bible and all the beliefs (religions, etc.), it has become so apparent to me that I must be careful what I allow to enter my mind. This is also vitally important because social media provides countless opportunities for exposure to alternative ways of thinking that disguise themselves as “Christian.” Beware of everything you see, hear or read. As the Holy Spirit opens my mind and heart to the truth of God’s Word as written in the Bible, I recently confirmed that a “religious” television program t...

May 22, 2011 This was the prayer of the early church, after its leader, Jesus Christ was crucified and the apostles were persecuted.   Acts 4: 29 “ Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly. 30 Show your power by healing, performing miracles, and doing amazing things through the power and the name of your holy servant Jesus. I was moved by a sermon preached today by Andy Stanley, the son of Dr. Charles Stanley, on the early church. I’m sharing my notes because I was stirred by God to step up to the plate like the early Christians who were courageous enough to proclaim the saving freedom of Christ. Their message survived because it was from God! I was really convicted when Andy asked, “What do you pray for? Think about how we pray in America – can God take our prayers seriously?” He went on to say that most of us pray in a very shallow way, for example: ‘Oh God, please bless and protect me.’   How many of us pray for safety, a bless...

Divine Note #59 – Written on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, posted Oct. 18, 2010 Ask God your questions, he listens Habakkuk 1:2-3 2 LORD, how long do I have to call out for help? Why don’t you listen to me? How long must I keep telling you that things are terrible? Why don’t you save us? 3 Why do you make me watch while people treat others so unfairly? Why do you put up with the wrong things they are doing? I was fascinated by this book of the Bible. Habakkuk asked God hard questions – those same hard questions that you and I probably ask or want to ask. This Divine Note is simply written to let you know that God wants to hear from you. He knows that you have lots of questions about hard to swallow things that happen to you or those you care about. God made you the person you are and he knows that you will seek him someday. So if you’re grappling with unanswered questions -- stop and talk to him! Ask him the hard questions…you may just be surprised by his answers.  If you know...

Divine Note #24 – June 15, 2009 Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 (New Living Translation) Dear Sisters, Each week the message becomes louder and clearer in my heart. We must become effective disciples for Christ. We are His hands, ears and feet while we are on Earth. You will not fulfill your God-given mission on this planet until you step out to serve others and share how your life was transformed. So…this Divine Note is to encourage you to cry out to God, so that you can feel comfortable having an open dialog with Him. Once you open that communication with God, it changes your life in a huge way. When you cry out to Him, it establishes a powerful intimacy that allows you to walk in His power. When you develop the ability to cry out to God, you will be empowered to pray out loud on behalf of your children, spouse, family, friends and all the people around the world who are hurting or who do not know Him! You may be uncomfortable with ...

Divine Note #22 - Ten reasons to trust God with your future – Psalm 40.5 This Divine Note is based on one of the greeting cards that I chose for my daughter and is dedicated to all moms and dads who have a son or daughter graduating from high school or college. She graduated from high school on Sunday. How did 18 years pass so fast? This message is also for you, if you need a new beginning or if you need to know that God has a future planned for you and your children. Psalm 40:5 (Contemporary English Version) You, LORD God, have done many wonderful things, and you have planned marvelous things for us. No one is like you! I would never be able to tell all you have done. Ten reasons to trust God with your future 10. He planned your life before you existed 9. You get a 24-hour hotline that’s available your entire lifetime 8. His training manual is a best seller 7. Miracles are part of His outstanding reputation 6. He doesn’t ask questions about your mistakes 5. What He says goes 4....

Dear Father, Please allow Your nature to flow through all of us. We are in need of your love and mercy. I ask that you allow us to be more God-seeking than self-seeking so that others want to join your Kingdom. Please help us use our gifts and abilities to introduce your loving kindness to those who are living in silent desperation. Please help us to tune in to all those souls around us who need you! We need you every hour and every minute of our existence on Earth. We love you Holy Father! Everything we ask is in the name of Jesus who gave His life for us. Amen! Love, Blanca

Divine Note #18 - May 4, 2009 Luke 8:22-25 (New Living Translation) Jesus Calms the Storm 22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!” Isn’t it amazing how many of us spend our lives in relationship with Jesus, doing good things for the church and our families, but when life’s storms arrive, we bail out of the boat? Come on now, do you believe in your heart t...

Divine Note #8– Feb. 23, 2009 I shared my love of Christ and how my entire life has changed at Celebration and paid tribute to three women who have helped me get closer to God. When I heard Joan Murray say that prayers go into eternity and that they are heard, my soul was touched and I remembered my grandmother. She would testify about how God changed her life and you can imagine my teenage embarrassment when she would talk about me! After my dad passed away, she often told the church family that she put us in the loving arms of Jesus. God answered my grandmother’s prayers for me through righteous women who love God. Can you imagine if Fern had not encouraged me to do God’s work through Celebration (James 5:14)? What if Lorraine had not prayed a powerful prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help me share what I have been through, so that I might help others because it’s not about me (James 5:16)? My child, Jackie, loves God and is determined to do His will for her life. I give Him all cre...

Divine Note #7 – Feb. 16, 2009 It’s not about me. As I grow in my relationship with the Lord, I realize that there are so many people who desperately need the love and comfort of Jesus Christ that we are all called to share. In verse 4, Paul tells us that our God comforts us in our affliction so that we may comfort others in their time of need. It’s so easy to go about our daily, busy lives and not think of those close to us who may need a comforting word. Maybe it says something about our society that even while we’re so connected by technology such as cell phones, computers and e-mails; we are still very much in need of a friendly voice or hug to comfort us during a valley period. Do you ever find yourself e-mailing or texting with family and closest friends and then realizing that you don’t really know what’s going on in their lives? Welcome to my world. Technology has made our lives so much less personal. If our friends and family feel like they can’t get enough of our time, what...

Divine Note #6 – Feb. 9, 2009 All it takes is a word of kindness, a hug or a smile to tell people around us how valuable they are. The apostle Paul was encouraged when Timothy returned from visiting the Thessalonians with good news of the faith and love of believers who had limited access to the apostle’s teachings. Paul knew how important it was to encourage and to be encouraged by believers. Over lunch a few months ago, a long time friend told me that because I took the time to listen, to ask questions and to tell her to get a grip and get help, that I prevented her from committing suicide many years ago. That’s mind boggling. What if I hadn’t taken the time to be there for her? Many of you have recently been praying for another friend’s family as they removed their loved one from life support, agonized over hospice care and are now facing funeral arrangements. As a result, I know that God is wrapping them in His loving arms during this painful time and they appreciate your prayers. ...

Divine Note #4 - Monday, Dec. 29, 2008 Next year decide to move on to the next stage of your life. Just as Paul encouraged the church during his time on earth, today the Holy Spirit guides believers to fulfill their God-given purpose. If you believe in God’s inspired Word, then you must move beyond the walls of home and church to share the news with everyone! Your ministry is everyone who is around you! Please don’t wait to be healed, to feel anointed, to get over grief, to have time, to have enough money or until the kids grow up. Whatever gifts you have been given, I promise you that God needs your service now (1 Corinthians 12:7). Challenge yourself to move out of your ‘comfort zone’ and share your gifts with those whom God puts in your path! First, have a plan. Pray and ask God for guidance on how you need to grow and serve during the next year. It’s critical to seek God’s direction and then take His hand! Second, find out what your ministry gifts are. Talk to your pastors or trus...

Divine Note #2: Monday, Dec. 15, 2008 Every day we’re bombarded with competing messages about how we should behave, what God’s expectations are and how we should live our lives. We get messages at church, from family and from society. But really, I have found that it’s in the quiet times and when I am genuine, that I am open to listening to God. He speaks to my heart, I just have to be still and listen. In the Old Testament, God spoke through prophets, but now we have His Son – that wonderful Jesus! Don’t get ahead of yourself or try too hard to “get a message.” Instead, listen with your heart and obey the promptings of His Holy Spirit. Consider writing down your thoughts and perhaps starting a journal to help you connect with Him. This also helps you remember the good things He has done for you when you are in a valley season. Maintain a continuous conversation with Jesus during the day; don’t just just pray at night. And remember to listen, quiet your spirit and hear His messages for...

Divine Note #1 - Monday, Dec. 8. 2008 I've been thinking about how He came to earth and lived a pretty typical human life, so He understands how we, his human creations, feel. I am very touched by the fact that when he was told that Lazarus had died, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. The two words in verse 35 have been in my heart for a couple of days, Jesus wept. Can you imagine the Savior of the universe weeping? He very much cared about Mary and Martha during their time of anguish over the death of Lazarus. He cried, He wept! He loved Lazarus! Think about how He loves you! Never doubt that He loves you because He created you and he understands how you feel. Talk to Him like you would your best friend, He’s ready to listen and He loves you for you!